CALLER: Hi. Yeah. I was calling to see if you guys do abortions there.

CLINIC: Yes, we do.

CALLER: How much does that cost?

CLINIC: It’s $300.

CALLER: Okay. Well, my friend told me that — I’m going to be 14 later on this month. She said that you guys would have to tell my parents. But my boyfriend’s 22. Could he just sign whatever it is, and you wouldn’t have to tell anybody?

CLINIC: If you’re a minor, your parents will have to know or come in and sign a parental consent form.

CALLER: Oh. Well, what is that?

CLINIC: A parental consent form?

CALLER: Yeah.

CLINIC: It’s a consent form that says your parents are consenting to you having an abortion.

CALLER: Oh. Well, is there any way not to have them come in? They can’t find out at all. If they found out that me and my boyfriend were having sex, I don’t know what they would do.

CLINIC: Then you’ll have to call and get a lawyer to go through judicial bypass.

CALLER: How much does that cost?

CLINIC: You’ll have to ask the lawyer. Would you like that number?

CALLER: Yes, please.

CLINIC: Hold on.

(Pause)

CLINIC: Ma’am?

CALLER: Uh-huh?

CLINIC: That number is 578-4000.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: Just let them know you’re a minor. You need to go through judicial bypass to have an abortion.

CALLER: Well, could I get a pregnancy test there just to make sure that I was pregnant?

CLINIC: We do that Monday through Thursday from 9 until 2. It’s free of charge as long as you bring in a few drops of your first morning’s urine.

CALLER: Okay. But what you have to tell my parents about that?

CLINIC: No.

CALLER: Okay. Well, my boyfriend said he would bring me and pay for everything. Would that be all right if he was there?

CLINIC: That’s fine. It just doesn’t matter if he’s there or not. You need to have your parents with you to sign a parental consent form.

CALLER: For a pregnancy test too?

CLINIC: No, just for the abortion.

CALLER: Oh, okay. Well, if it ended up that I wasn’t pregnant, could I get birth control?

CLINIC: Yes. You’ll have to call and make a separate appointment for that.

CALLER: Oh, all right. But would anybody have to know about that?

CLINIC: No, ma’am, just if you’re having an abortion.

CALLER: Oh, okay. After I call him, can I call you back? What was your name?

CALLER: Hi. Yeah. I was calling to see if you guys do abortions there.

CLINIC: Uh-huh.

CALLER: How much does that cost?

CLINIC: Up to 12 weeks it’s 300; 12 to 14 weeks, it’s 325. If you have a negative type blood, it’s an additional 50.

CALLER: Okay. Well, how do you know how far along you are?

CLINIC: Go by the first day of your last normal cycle.

CALLER: That was like January 3rd.

CLINIC: Going by January 3rd, that will put you at about eight weeks and four days.

CALLER: Okay. All right. The thing is, I’m going to be 14 on the 20th, and my friend said you guys would have to tell my parents. But my boyfriend’s 22. Could he just sign whatever it is, and they wouldn’t have to tell anybody?

CLINIC: No, it would have to be your parent.

CALLER: Oh. Well, is there any way not to tell my parents? Because they can’t find out at all.

CLINIC: Are you from Memphis Tennessee?

CALLER: Well, I live in Brunswick.

CLINIC: What part of town is that?

CALLER: It’s a little town north of Memphis.

CLINIC: So it’s actually what, Mississippi or Arkansas?

CALLER: It’s in —

CLINIC: It’s in Tennessee?

CALLER: — Tennessee. Yeah.

CLINIC: Well, down here in Memphis you can go through juvenile bypass. I don’t know if that would affect you or not. But I can give you the number, and you can call and see.

CALLER: Okay. Do you know how much that cost?

CLINIC: No, I doesn’t cost anything.

CALLER: Okay. So what was the number?

CLINIC: 523-9600.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: Just tell them you’re calling about a juvenile bypass.

CALLER: Do you know if they usually allow that?

CLINIC: Uh-huh.

CALLER: Really?

CLINIC: Uh-huh.

CALLER: Okay. Well, could I come in there for a pregnancy test just to make sure I was pregnant?

CLINIC: Yeah. You haven’t took a pregnancy test yet?

CALLER: No, I just haven’t had my period, and we’re both scared.

CLINIC: Okay. Well, we do them today until 7 p.m.

CALLER: Okay. Would you have to tell my parents if I was getting a pregnancy test though?

CLINIC: No.

CALLER: All right.

CLINIC: If you come after 3 you can wait on your results. If you come before 3, you have to call back at 4.

CALLER: But me and my boyfriend were talking about all this. And he said he would pay for everything, but we don’t want a whole bunch of people to know about us. So would he have to sign anything if he was paying for it?

CLINIC: No.

CALLER: Oh, okay. Well, if it ended up that I wasn’t pregnant, could I get birth control there?

CLINIC: Yeah. You can come on Wednesday between 5 and 7, and the fee is like $40.

CALLER: Okay. But would anybody have to know if I was on birth control though?

CLINIC: No.

CALLER: To get an abortion I need to have an appointment?

CLINIC: Uh-huh.

CALLER: What time do you normally do abortions?

CLINIC: First of all, you have to go and see what this juvenile bypass will say because they have to approve you to come in without your parent; otherwise you would have to tell your parent before you make this appointment if you want it or not.

CALLER: So when I call them, can I call you back? What was your name?

CLINIC: Well, when you call them, they’ll have to set up an appointment. They’ll have to meet with you. And once they get all of their information done and give you your court order for you to come in and have this done without your parent, then you can set your appointment up.

CLINIC: Thank you for choosing Memphis Regional Planned Parenthood. This is Emily. How can I help you?

CALLER: Yeah. I was wondering if you guys do abortions there.

CLINIC: Yes, we do.

CALLER: You do?

CLINIC: Uh-huh.

CALLER: Well, how much does that cost?

CLINIC: $375, ma’am.

CALLER: Okay. Well, my friend told me that like since I’m going to be like 14 in March that you guys have to tell my parents. But my boyfriend’s 22. Can I just have him do it?

CLINIC: Come in for you?

CALLER: Huh?

CLINIC: How old are you?

CALLER: I’ll be 14 in March.

CLINIC: No. You need your parents.

CALLER: Is there any way not to tell them because they can’t find out at all.

CLINIC: Oh, okay. Hold on. Okay? Hold on.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: Thank you for holding. This is Emily.

CALLER: Yeah. I was just talking to you.

CLINIC: Oh. You were just speaking to me?

CALLER: Yeah.

CLINIC: About you’re 14?

CALLER: Uh-huh.

CLINIC: Okay. Hold on. (pause)

(MALE CLINIC-WORKER TAKES OVER THE CALL)

CLINIC: Who are you holding for, please?

CALLER: I was holding for Emily.

CLINIC: You had a question about your boyfriend?

CALLER: Yeah. Well, I was just wondering — like he’s 22, and I was wondering if he could sign for me.

CLINIC: What appointment did you have?

CALLER: I don’t have an appointment. Like — well, I was just asking because like my friend told me that — like I’ll be 14 in March and that you guys have to tell my parents. But I was wondering if my boyfriend can just sign because he’s 22.

CLINIC: No.

CALLER: No?

CLINIC: No. What kind of appointment are you needing?

CALLER: Well, I was — a pregnancy test, I guess.

CLINIC: For a pregnancy test?

CALLER: Yeah.

CLINIC: No. We don’t need anybody to sign for that. You can come in and have that.

CALLER: Okay. But, well like I was calling about having an abortion, so.

CLINIC: Okay. If you need that, you will need your parents.

CALLER: Is there any way not to tell my parents, because they can’t find out at all because I would get in big trouble.

CLINIC: Not only you, and your boyfriend.

CALLER: What do you mean? I don’t understand.

CLINIC: You won’t get in big trouble. You might get in trouble with your parents, but your boyfriend is in trouble with the law.

CALLER: What do you mean?

CLINIC: He’s 22, and you’re 14.

CALLER: Yeah? What could happen to him? What do you –

CLINIC: What I’m saying is, is that he can be arrested.

CALLER: Arrested for what?

CLINIC: It’s called statutory rape.

CALLER: Well, what can I do?

CLINIC: The best thing for you to do, although you may be a little afraid to do it is to talk to your parents.

CALLER: But I can’t talk to my parents.

CLINIC: Well, you’re going to need their consent or we’re going to need their permission. The only other way for you to get around talking to your parents about it is to go before a judge and get a judicial bypass.

CALLER: Uh-huh.

CLINIC: I can transfer you to somebody who can give you that information.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: She’s going to tell you the same thing about your boyfriend though.

CALLER: Okay. But we’re in love. We’re going to get married.

CLINIC: Okay. That I can’t really go over with you. I mean, that’s your decision.

CALLER: Okay. Well, do you have to say anything about it?

CLINIC: I don’t know your name yet.

CALLER: Oh, okay.

CLINIC: So at the moment let’s keep it that way. (laughs)

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: I’m going to transfer you to the Q/A person.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: And she can give you the information about getting a judicial bypass.

CALLER: Okay.

CLINIC: All right?

CALLER: Thanks.

(call is transferred)

CLINIC: (pause) Hi, this is Laura, quality assurance coordinator. I can’t come to the phone right now, but if you leave your name, number and a brief message I’ll return your call as soon as –

(phone clicks)

*** THE END ***

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